


Garish

by SansyFresh



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Anti-Monster Sentiment, Fluff, Hate Crimes, Hurt/Comfort, More tags to be added, Multi, Other, Reader has no specific gender
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2019-09-25 22:31:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17129918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansyFresh/pseuds/SansyFresh
Summary: You knew you were going to have to room with some monsters at some point. Just...maybe not with these two.





	1. Club Sandwiches

**Author's Note:**

> Welly well well, I decided to write a /Reader XD This is mostly going to be Swell Bros/Reader, but I'm considering also bringing the Fell bros in, though they might stay platonic. No other bros though.
> 
> Also I should warn? My interpretation of the Swell bros is not like most other people's. Razz isn't a brat, and Slim isn't nonstop horny lol
> 
> I hope you all enjoy ^^

The sunlight streamed through the open windows, making the bubbles piled high in your sink shine in iridescent hues. You didn’t really pay it too much attention as you scrubbed at your breakfast dishes, half listening to the droning TV as you wait for the weatherman to tell you what the next week was supposed to look like. Blah blah, tax cuts for the rich, blah blah, what a terrible government. Most of the news was a depressing mix of hearsay and anti-monster sentiment, so most days you only turn it on long enough to find out the weather forecast and then turn it to something less depressing. Like the cooking channel. 

 

You’d just finished the last skillet as the woman droning on was suddenly replaced with an alert sound, the noise drawing your attention to the screen. The reporters on screen were listening to their earpieces, each of them looking a little white before the guy in a clean pressed suit from the sixties looked back at the camera.

 

“We’ve just received breaking news that yet another barrier has been broken, the new batch of monsters meeting with human representatives as we speak. We should have more on this issue later today-” You flipped the channel, unwilling to listen to the fear mongering that was likely to follow. The low, dulcet tones of Gordon Ramsay screaming his head off followed you to your bedroom as you slipped off your nightshirt, rolling your eyes as you think about the new monsters.

 

Even if they were from a “Fell” underground, enough monsters from the last one that had surfaced had turned their lives around that you didn’t think it would be an issue. Unless the King or Queen decided they wanted to try their luck at conquering humanity, in which case they’d be hard pressed to find help with their fellow monsters that were already here. Humans had made a tentative peace with monsters. You’d all grown somewhat accustomed to each other, after a decade or so, so any newcomers were only going to find that trying to take over would go poorly.

 

Once dressed in your work clothes, which consisted of old, ratty jeans and a shirt you didn’t mind getting dirty, you slipped into your rain boots and grabbed your bag, heading out the door. Your workplace was only a few minutes walk from your apartment, so you jogged down the stairs and began down the sidewalk, stuffing a pair of earbuds in your ear holes. Setting it to an empowering, pumped up song, you made your way further into town, ignoring the few stares you got as you went. 

 

The greenhouse looked as inviting as always, the freshly bloomed plants out and on display to bring newcomers in the shop. Humming along with the song, you stepped inside, ignoring the searching look your workers were giving you. Okay, maybe you had your music jacked up a little too loud. Wouldn’t be the first time. Turning it down a bit, you headed to the back, taking your phone from your pocket and setting it in your locker before finally popping the earbuds from your ears. Now that you can hear, the sounds of people talking and shuffling around the shop, both up front and in the back, were apparent. Taking your apron from the locker door, you set your wallet inside and slipped the key for the padlock in your pocket before shutting and locking the door. 

 

Too many lunch thieves and you’d learned your lesson about keeping your things locked up. 

 

The radios played music as you got to work in the back, watering and sweeping and generally taking care of things. Every so often there would be some new development about the new monsters, things from them in fact being from a Fell underground to their Queen being a bit of a war monger. Apparently the original intent from the monsters had been to conquer and invade, but the human that had let them out had made them change their minds. Still, the first thing the Queen had tried was keeping her people from having to stay at the Embassy until they were all rehabilitated. It was a law, mostly put in place for the Fellgrounds, that every new monster had to adhere to. 

 

It was because of all this that you figured it’d be a while before any of them were allowed to integrate into society. It really wasn’t any of your business, but maybe this would be the time they’d ask you to home a couple monsters. You were surprised they hadn’t done so before, with the vast numbers leaving the Underground and the fact that you owned an apartment with three bedrooms. But somehow you’d gotten through the first ones without being asked. Somehow you doubted your luck would last another time.

 

“‘Ey boss, ya want yesterday’s petunias thrown out?” a ragged voice called out, directing your attention to the monster standing in the doorway to the back room. You glanced up, quirking a grin as you see Red standing there, unlit cig hanging from his jaw. From the emphasis on his words, you knew he meant less flowers and more the garbage hate mail and bricks with painted slurs on them that bounce off the front windows.

 

After Red had started working for you, you’d had more than one brick thrown through the bay windows, especially on the nights he worked over time. So, after saving up a bit, you had some shatter proof glass installed, and the most damage they could do now was to your psyches. Red certainly didn’t act like it bothered him any, but you knew better.

“If you don’t mind, thank you.” You answered with a smile, Red staring at you for a moment before walking away with a grumble, mostly something about “too easily trusting”. You didn’t mind, you saw the light blush of magic on his cheeks as he left.

 

The day went slowly, until you finally watched your last worker clock out and leave through the front door with a wave and a tired grin, disappearing into the night. You huffed an exhausted sigh, the ache in the pit of your back only growing more agitated as you finished up cleaning for the next day. Once it was finished you hung up your apron, grabbing your wallet and checking your phone before you headed out the door yourself, locking the door behind you.

 

Cringing as you stretched out your spine, waiting on the last night bus to take you home, you wondered if you needed to invest in some naproxen after all.

 

~.~

 

The rest of the week went by like a flash, your interactions with Red only making you like him more, and at one point you even got him to mention that he has a brother. Not really that much information about said brother, but just getting the big lug to talk about his personal life was a win in your book. 

 

You nudged open your door with a foot, hands full with a couple bags of groceries and your mail, the thick stack promising bills with red stamps and lots of junk advertisements. Throwing the mail to your table, you quickly put away your groceries and start a quick supper. Sitting down with a plate of a thick club sandwich and a small bag of baked crackers, you leafed through your mail as you took a bite of oven roasted turkey and swiss. 

 

A bill, a bill, several coupons for Pizza Hut, another bill (this one you actually needed to pay this month, or they’d shut your power off), and… a summons to the Official Monster Embassy of Mount Ebott. Swallowing what now feels like a mouthful of sawdust, you quickly opened the letter and pored over the contents inside. It was indeed a summons, of your name, to come to the Embassy as soon as possible to discuss taking on a monster (or monsters) as a roommate. 

 

You relaxed back into your chair as you read over it again, the knot in your stomach slowly fading. You’d prepared for this, you knew you’d likely have to take on a roommate or too this time. Sighing, you glance back at your sandwich. Steeling your jaw, you picked up the plate and headed into the living room. It was time for some quality cooking shows.


	2. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo next chapter !!!
> 
> enjoy?

The next day you were standing outside the Monster Embassy, sheaf of papers and documentation in your arms as you stared up at the imposing building. Most humans didn’t have access to enter New New Home, let alone just barge into the embassy whenever they wanted. Law enforcement was allowed temporary entrance only in emergencies, and local politicians were only allowed in when invited. 

All in all, it made you more than a little nervous to be one of the few people not here on invitation. Technically maybe you were, but you also had no real business with monsters. Not unless they worked at or visited your shop, at least. But now you would be living with a monster, or maybe even a pair of monsters. You assumed they were from the new batch that had escaped the mountain, though you were surprised they were being released from protective containment so early.

Most monsters from the Fellgrounds needed some form of health care or counseling before they were considered safe to be let loose into the world. Some of them were too dangerous to be let out, and stayed in New New Home behind the large walls that kept them safe (and humans safe from them).

Taking your ID from your wallet, you shuffled towards the large set of glass doors, pressing the button for the intercom on the wall with a beep. There was scratchy silence for a moment, before a nasally voice asked what your business was.

You said your name, following with “I’m here to be interviewed to take in some monster roommates?” The silence followed, before the door beeped loudly, signalling it was unlocked. Moving forward, you yanked it open and stepped inside, sighing a mild breath of relief as the air conditioning ran over your skin. It wasn’t too hot outside, but every kiss of cool air was a blessing these days. 

There was a window with a sliding part, a three headed monster staring up at you with sleepy eyes. They asked for your name, date of birth, and all the documentation the letter you’d been provided had required you bring with you. You told them everything and handed over the manila folder you’d stuck everything in this morning when you were rushing around anxious. They slowly looked through the papers, giving a pair of chairs over in the corner of the entrance a side glance when you just stood there. Sitting with a sigh, you glanced around the lightly painted room and, when that got boring, decided that until someone told you you couldn’t, you played around on your phone. 

You had a text from Red, wondering where you were today as you rarely took days off. You typed back, explaining that you were meeting some potential new roommates. You didn’t tell him they were monsters, not knowing if he’d want to come over and meet them or if he maybe already knew and hated them. After the two of you traded memes until he said that he had to get “back to work boss, stars, ya’d think ya weren’t the head honcho or something”, leaving you to play around on your games.

It wasn’t until some time later that the white door off to the side opened with a buzz, a dog monster holding your folder of papers under one arm. From the light armor he wore, you assumed he was a guard member.

“Hello there, pup! I’m here to escort you to the meeting rooms.” he said with a floppy grin. You nodded, putting away your phone and getting to your feet to follow him through the door and down a series of halls. The walls were all painted a light, peaceful powder blue, making it a little less heinous on the eyes than white would have been. Soon enough the dog monster stopped in front of an innocuous looking door, opening it with a key from his key ring and nodding for you to head inside. 

Once you sat on one side of the table, he headed back out. “The other pups will be here soon!” And with that the door shut with a thump.

The nervous feeling returned tenfold, the reminder that you were deep in monster territory with no sort of protection other than your keys hidden in your purse. Sure, you knew just from your interactions with Red that monsters weren’t the bloodthirsty maniacs that the public wanted most people to think, but you were still alone here with strangers.

Thankfully you didn’t have to wait long for the possible roommate to show up, a knock on the door followed by the door itself opening, revealing the guard from earlier and a tall skeleton. You knew who he was, having met Red’s brother, though you didn’t know his chosen surface name obviously. He watched you carefully for a moment, looking you over for some sign you were dangerous, you supposed.

He seemed to find what he was looking for, giving the guard a nod before he walked inside, sitting at the table in front of you. The door shut once more, leaving the two of you in an awkward silence.

Eventually, you decided it would be in your best interest to break it. “My name is ____, I was sent a letter about taking in a monster roommate or two… I assume you’re one?”

The skeleton stared for a moment, before answering. “Me and my brother.”

Well, at least you knew they’d probably get along. Fishing out your phone, you click through to your camera gallery. “I have a few pictures of the house, the rooms and what not, would you like to see?”

He nodded, so you hand over the phone, waiting patiently while he flips through until reaching the end of the roll. He handed it back, staring down at the table in thought while you put it away.

“What do you do? For… work?” he finally asked, staring at you with amber colored eyelights. You shrug.

“I own a flower shop. I work there with one of your brother’s copies.” You weren’t sure if you should have told him that, but something in him seems to relax at that. There’s another brief moment of silence, before a small grin lifts his fangs. 

“Well, lets meet my brother then.”


	3. Acceptance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the wait on this fic updating lol I'm trying to get back into a good swing of things, I promise!! Anyways, have a new chapter, this time meeting Sans! (im also sorry for the varying switches between tenses, i tried to keep to one in this chapter lol)
> 
> You aren't having an absolutely great time lol
> 
> enjoy!

You and the monster waited a few more minutes in silence, the skeleton seemingly unwilling to make small talk while you waited. You weren’t really that much for mindless talking anyways, but you wouldn’t mind knowing his name, or anything at all about him or his brother. Still, you resigned yourself to the silence and wait patiently until the “brother” showed up. It didn’t take long, another knock on the door from the dog monster guardsman before it opened and another skeleton walked inside with an almost military gait. 

You couldn’t help but look him (you assumed it’s a him, since the other skeleton did say brother) up and down, noticing the dress of a guardsman, even if the colors and insignia were different. He wore all black, a purple, torn bandana around his neck that matched his plum colored eyes. In contrast with the brown leather coat and fluffy hood that his taller brother wears, they almost seem like an oxymoron. 

The shorter skeleton sat across from you, beside his brother, and set his fists in front of him on the table. He seemed very no nonsense, compared to most monsters you’ve met, but if he’s a guardsman then that made sense. 

“So you are the human we are to be potentially rooming with.” He didn’t say it like a question, but you answered anyway.

“Yeah, I got a summons for meeting the two of you.”

He nodded, seemingly looking you over as he thought. You aren’t sure if he liked what he saw, because nothing about his facial expression changes. Instead, he settled further into his seat. 

“I have a few specific questions, and if we decide to live with you will depend on your answers.” His sockets narrowed, but you weren’t intimidated, even if you should have been. If anything, you felt ready. You nodded, and he imitated the motion.

“How many bedrooms are there in your… apartment?” He said it like he was coached on the word, making you wonder what living conditions were like in his underground. 

“There are three, one of them is mine. There’s also a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. The laundry room is downstairs in the basement.”

He nodded to himself, then continued. “And where do you work? How long are you gone a day?” Pausing, he picked a little at his own gloved fingers. “Will late night coming and goings be detrimental to your sleep schedule?”

You got the feeling that last question in particular was important, but you answered honestly, thinking back to previous roommates. “I work in a flower shop I own. I’m usually gone from 9 in the morning to anywhere between 5 and 9 in the evening.” Pausing yourself, you glanced down at your unadorned fingers. “I’m not easily woken up, so that wouldn’t be an issue.”

He nodded, then looked back up at you with that same, intense stare. “Who, in a theoretical situation in which the three of us live together, would be responsible for groceries? Or cleaning of the various rooms? Or cooking the meals in which all three of us are home for one of them?”

They were good questions, and ones that you were grateful to be asked. None of this had been on your past roommates minds when they moved in, and you had been left to clean up most of their messes or make the meals.

“I guess it would depend on what chore or meal was being made. I would suggest maybe each person clean their own messes and spaces of the house?” The shorter skeleton squinted like he wanted to ask something, but you thought you knew what it was and continue. “Communal spaces, like the living room or kitchen, would be a… I guess a taking turns thing.”

Pausing, you thought about meals. Taking a breath, you continued, staring down at the table. “Meals with each other would also be a turns thing, and with groceries that were for all three of us. Any food for just me, I’d buy myself.”

He nodded once, glancing over to his brother to have what you assume is some unspoken communication between them. It was almost eerie, how they just looked at each other for a few seconds and then seemingly agreed on something before glancing back at you. 

“You said you worked with a… a version of my brother?” the taller said, and you nodded. The shorter’s sockets squinted, seemingly in thought, before he asked a simple question.

“Which one, if I may ask?”

You weren’t sure if you liked the tone of suspicion in his voice, but you still figured you should probably answer truthfully. Who knew what would happen if you lied. “The first Fellground. He goes by Red.”

The shorter’s face closed off, making you wonder if it was because he was experiencing an emotion he didn’t want to show to you, the weird, stranger human. Still, you didn’t say anything, even as the taller stood to his feet, knocking on the door to be let out. The shorter squinted at you again, purple eyelights looking you over and for a moment, it’s almost like you were being judged for every deed you’d ever done. Then it’s over and he’s up and walking to the now open door.

“You will be notified of our decision soon. Good day.” And with that, the two of them were gone, and you were being escorted out of the building by the dog guardsman. You were honestly writing that whole situation off as a failure to get possible tenants, but in reality it was nowhere near your fault if they decided to find a different place to stay.

You went home and had a normal night, texting Red to explain about the summons and the weird doubles you’d met and apparently disappointed, and went to bed at a nice hour of midnight. 

You regretted it when, at nearly 6 am the next morning, loud banging on your door woke you up, your legs trembling as you stumbled to the front door and opened it without a thought to anyone seeing you in your baggy nightshirt and shorts. You stood there, mouth open and bleary eyes wide, as the short skeleton stares back, the taller talking to some guy standing next to a moving truck that was apparently packed with boxes.

When you finally got back some semblance of rational thought, the first words out of your mouth were “Ok what the fuck?”

The short skeleton snorts. “I don’t believe we told you our names. I’m Razz. My brother is Slim. We accepted your apartment as our new home.” He shifted, almost looking uncomfortable. “Is that acceptable to you?”

You stared hard at him for a moment, then shrugged. How the hell could you say no? “Sure, why the hell not?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, question time. I've been trying to decide if I want this to be a Swell bros/Reader fic only with the Fell bros as friends, or if I wanted it to be a Swell and Fell bros/Reader
> 
> So I'm asking your guys' opinions lol Would you rather it just be Razz/Slim/Reader? or should we add in some more edgy boys to add some spice lol

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked, leave a comment perhaps :D


End file.
